Stiffening for corsets



(No Model.) 2`s11eets-sheeI-, 1.' E. B. CADY.

STIFPBNING FOR o'oRsB'rs.

Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

17a van/1501:'

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I .I-.-IIIII IIIIIIIII IIIIIII III IIIII I I I III III III-- IC 2 She'ets-Sheet 2) (No Model;)

E. B. CADY.

STIPFBNING FOR GORSETS.

T/V-i zesscs;

being cut away.

UNITED STATES PATnN'r Erica STlFFENlNG FOR CORSETS.

SPECIPICATION forming part of Letters P atent No. 873,720, dated November 22, 1887.

Application filed February 24, 1887. Serial No. 228,768. (No model.)

To aZZ 207mm, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD 13. CADY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have inveuted certain new and useful Improveinents in Stiffening Fabrics for Corsets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying dra-wings.

Figure 1 is a face view of a sheet or web of the stiffening fabric which I provide for corsets. Fig. 2 is a section on the line w x, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a piece of the fabric after it has been severed from the web. Fig. 4 shows a part of a corset having two or more of the Sections or batteries of stitfening-material applied thereto. Fig. 5 shows part of that illustrated in Fig. 4, on a larger scale, some parts Fig. 6 is a section on line x' x', Fig. 5. Figs. 7 and 8 show one of the stiffening-cords, Fig. 8 illustrating it after it has been wrapped with thread and Fig. 7 showing the relations of the filaments before the wrapping and the binding. Fig. 9 is a Vertical section on the line y y, Fig. 5. Fig. 10 shows one of the stiffening-cords detached, and illustrates the manner of beveling the filaments at the top and bottom of the corset-that is, reducing their ends in number or in thickness.

In the drawings, A represents a small bundle of the filaments or fibers of sisal, reed, rattan, whalebone, or feather-bone, or other equivalent material. Some of the materials enumeratedsuch as sisal-haVe fibers or filaments which are comparatively long, and suitable cords can be made thereof by winding or twisting together a sufficient number ,of the filaments, and the cords can be stiffened, if necessary, by applying glue or cement to them; butofsonie of the others-such as horn, whalebene, or feather-bone-the pieces are smaller and shorter, yet these can be also readily formed into cords by arranging them so as to produce small bnnches or bundles and wrapping cords or' threads around them, as shown at oa,whereby the filaments can be held snugly together, and in addition to the cords or threads glue or cement also may be employed. In order to produce the fabric which it is desired to make, I take two strips of cloth (drilling, jean, or other equivalent material) and between them insert the stiffenng-cords, above referred to, made of feather-bone or the like material. Each cord of the latter is stitched in place and held separate from the adjacent one. This process can be eontinned indefinitelyfit-hat is to say, one continuous length i of the fabric can be produced of any desired width.

The strips of fealher-bone, sisal, or other material operate as cording, but are superior to the ordinary cording in many respeots, especially when the fabric is to be applied for the purposes here speoially aimed at.

In Fig. 7 there is shown a section `of one of the cords, formed by packing or twisting together the filaments of feather-bone or other material; and in Fig. 8 the same is shown in conjunction with the binding-thread wrapped around it.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the web orsheet of corded fabric, one layer of cloth being indicated by c and the other by c'. These are stitched together by the sewing-inachine, one row of stitches being shown at c2 and two rows at 03. After the fabrichas been formed into a web or sheet in the way described, sections can be cut therefrom, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the cutting can be eifected to advantage where the aforesaid double rows of stitches c3 are formed. After the Sections O have been cut from the web, and also cut to be of the length desired, they are each reduced in thickness at the ends by Cutting away one side, as shown at a', Figs. 3, 9, and 10,this reducing heingeifected either by reducing the thickncssor the number of the filaments of the feat-her-bone or other material, and, as a result, the strips of cording are made more flexible at the ends, and the Cutting of the cloth (either the layers c or o' or that of the corset) is obviated.

In Figs. 4G, 5, 6, and 9, is shown the method of applying one of these sections to the corset. D represents the main layer of drilling or the material of which the corset is composed. Upon this the Sections O of stiffening material are placed, they being shown in FigsA 4 and 9 as extending from the top edge to the bottom. Over each is placed a coVering-piece, E. The edges of this are turned in, as shown at ea, and a seivage provided at the edges e. Both the coVering-piece E and the stiffeningpiece G are outside and independent of the cloth, D, forming the body of the corset. Af-

:hold the corset properly in position.

ter they have been put in proper position relal tive to the parts D, they are applied to a sewing-machine, and rows of stitches are formed through the selvages of the part E and through the edges of the part O, as shown'at e, and also rows of st'itches at e' between the stiffening-cords. Then the binding d is applied along the top edge and the bottoxn of the corset-,this being readily sewed in place and saved from Cutting and injnry by reason of the aforesaid beveling or reducing of the ends of the stifi'ening-cord.

I am aware of the fact that heretofore corsetstiffeners have been formed of strips or fragments of whalebone secured together by a binding-thread, as shown in earlier patents, and I do not claim, broadly, such a stiffening` material as my in vention.

I am also aware of the fact that a stiffening material has been made by past-img or glning narrow strips of baniboo between two layers of cloth, and also stitching bamboo in place, the batteries thns formed in either case being inserted between the two main thicknesses of the corset-body, and being of uniform thiekness from end to end in respect to the stiffening material, and I do not wish to be nnderstood as claiming any of the materials of the character referred to; but I believe myself to be the lfirst to have devised the stiffeningsections or batteries herein shown and described, and the manner set-forth for applying them. The J paeked and Wrapped eords which I employ will yield-thatis,areflexiblein all directions-- and at the same time are sufficiently elastic to By employing the external cover-piece, E, I can dispense with the second layer or thickness of l The cords A are substantially round in crosssection, and the filaments thereof are very small and twisted spirally somewhat relatively to the line of the cord as a whole. This inereases their elasticity Without destroying any of their tlexibility, and the wrapping-thread a holds the parts firrnly together.

IVhat I claim is- 1. The herein-described compositestiflening fabrio for the body of a corset, it comprisi-ng two layers of cloth and a series of fiexible stiffeuing cords, each cord being substantially round in cross-section and formed of small filaments of feather-bone or equivalent material, and each being beveled or partially cut away at the ends of the section of fabrie, snbstantially as and l'or the purposes set forth.

2. In acorset, the combination,\vith the main -layer of cloth, D, of the section of stiffening fabric O, having` cords of small filaments of feather-bone or equivalent material extending from the top edge to the bottom of the corset, the eords of said section being bev-eled or partially cut away at the ends and being secured by stitches between two layers ofcloth, the outer covering, E, and the binding d, placed over, the ends ofthe said stiffening-cords and secured by stitches thereto, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDWARD B. GADY. Vitnesscs:

BELLE WEEKs,

GEo. VV. AUsTIN'. 

